{
  "id": 15032976,
  "title": "Katie Zacharia Was Linked to an AI Rare-Earths Startup. It’s Even Weirder Than It Sounds",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/16/katie-zacharia-was-linked-to-an-ai-rare-earths-startup-its-even",
  "topic": "ai",
  "section": "AI",
  "published": "2026-10-16T20:05:08.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Wired",
    "slug": "wired",
    "url": "https://www.wired.com/story/katie-zacharia-was-linked-to-an-ai-rare-earths-startup-its-even-weirder-than-it-sounds/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Katie Zacharia, briefly the White House press secretary, had a complex professional background. Despite claiming to be an attorney, she had never passed the California bar exam. She also worked as an affiliate marketer for Beachbody, a fitness multi-level marketing company. Now, WIRED has uncovered a new detail regarding her association with an AI-powered rare earths mining operation called NRED Intelligent Mining. This company, formerly known as NovaRed Mining, is led by former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem. Zacharia joined the advisory board of NRED alongside Noem in June, but later claimed the announcement was false and not approved by her. Her connection to NRED, which focuses on \"AI-assisted mineral exploration,\" remains unclear.",
  "summary": "The short-lived White House press secretary was listed as an adviser to a Kristi Noem-linked company that aims to use AI for mining. Both the company and she say she never worked there.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}